Amazon’s Persuasion Design Makes the Sale

Persuasion design is everywhere on Amazon. When a customer searches for an item, like a Windows laptop PC, Amazon displays a long list of recommended products. Shoppers can select options to narrow their choices. Select items are highlighted with orange banners, like “Best Seller” or “Amazon’s Choice.” Such flags activate the brain’s Bandwagon cognitive bias.

On that page, the focus is on a product image. Shoppers can view the item from several perspectives. Social proof persuasion appears at the top of the description, in the form of a star review that shows the number of reviews. The “#1 Best Seller” label uses the Bandwagon effect cognitive bias to further influence the customer’s interest. Next, a price reduction triggers the viewer’s Relativity cognitive bias. Savings are shown by comparing with an earlier price and showing the actual savings. Amazon also offers money-saving bundled options with the product.

Easy Product Comparisons for Strong Persuasion

When a customer scrolls down on a product detail page, Amazon shows comparisons with similar products. Making use of the Anchoring cognitive bias, it shows the selected item with other products. The customer already has the price of the product in mind, so Amazon uses that well-known principle to put the customer’s chosen product in the middle of the price range. Neuroscience research shows that a mid-priced item is selected most often from a list of three choices. The Confirmation cognitive bias is also in play here, since the item clicked on was the customer’s first choice.

Persuade Customers to Buy More

On the product detail page, the company also makes bundle offers, persuading the customer to order popular accessories with just one click. The words “Frequently bought together,” in orange, act as social proof, by hinting that others often buy this combination of products. Using the Bandwagon effect cognitive bias, it is a very effective way to increase the size of the order and maximizing revenues.

Amazon Uses Persuasion Design to Close the Deal

After viewing all options, Amazon’s customer is almost ready to commit to a purchase. On the right side of the product detail page is the order form. The selected product or bundle is shown. Amazon triggers the power of FREE shipping on almost every order, which nudges the fast-thinking brain to act immediately. Further adding to the impulse to buy, actual delivery times are shown, with options for even faster delivery.

Amazon confirms that the item is available now, triggering the Availability cognitive bias. To enhance the sale, consumer protection and accessory offers are shown right at the point of sale. The increased cost seems minor, due to the Relativity cognitive bias, which quickly compares the items’ cost with the price of the item. A high percentage of shoppers choose at least one of these add-ons.

Finally, Amazon offers purchase options. The customer can add the item to a shopping cart or, get an immediate reward by clicking the attractive “Buy Now” button. The company has designed this simple action box, using persuasive design. High value items often generate “Buy Now” clicks.

Harness the Power of Persuasion Design

Applying persuasive design is the key to making your website your BEST sales team. Like Amazon does, combining multiple neuro design elements amplifies the effectiveness. Putting your persuasive design to work, though, isn’t intuitive. It requires expertise and finesse. That’s where our Neuromarketing company shines. We can help you implement the latest science-based sales methods. Contact us for a marketing analysis of your current methods. We provide you a consultation on how you can boost your conversion rate up to 500%.